Plane bomb threat accused in court

Two men from Pendle accused of endangering the safety of a Boeing 777 they were passengers in by threatening to blow it up, have appeared in the dock at Chelmsford Crown Court this morning.

Supermarket employee Tayyab Subhani (30), of Townley Street, Brierfield, and restaurant worker Mohammed Safdar, (42), of Hallam Crescent, Nelson, were in court as jury selection took place prior to the opening of the case now scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

Both plead not guilty to communicating false information that the crew and passengers would be killed and the aircraft blown up before landing on May 24th.

Their Pakistan ­International Airways flight PK709, carrying 308 passengers and 14 crew from Lahore to Manchester, was diverted to Stansted 10 minutes before it was due to land and was shadowed by an RAF Typhoon fighter jet after the pilot reported threats.